The JFK Tribute

On November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy gave two speeches in Fort Worth.

The first was delivered to a crowd that had been gathering for hours in the dark, braving a cold, early morning rain. (Hear President Kennedy's outdoor speech here.) Later, inside the hotel, a formal address was delivered to the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce. Both speeches were received enthusiastically and within them the President called attention to Fort Worth’s roles in national defense and aviation history. He spoke optimistically of the future but warned of challenges. He spoke of leadership, space exploration and America’s role on the international stage.

He left Fort Worth, enjoying a ticker tape parade from the back of his convertible as it traveled on Main Street. Bands played, cheerleaders waved and thousands greeted the President as the bright sun shone down on the motorcade. The President’s visit to Fort Worth was a remarkable success.

A few hours later, the excitement and themes of his Fort Worth visit were all but forgotten.

Today, the JFK Tribute in Fort Worth tells the story of the first half of November 22, 1963, and in the telling, resurrects the President’s themes that captured the spirit of his time.

(JFK Tribute in Fort Worth; Photo: courtesy of Jeffrey Stvan)

International leadership. Ambition in the sciences. Defense. A strong economy. Fort Worth’s role in history. These themes resonate as loudly today as they did then. The JFK Tribute tells the Fort Worth story of that fateful day and communicates those themes to new generations through a beautiful work of art, an on-site display and via internet-based teaching guides.

Located at the southeast corner of Main and 8th Streets, in downtown’s General Worth Square, the JFK Tribute is sited approximately where President Kennedy delivered his outdoor address. John F. Kennedy, an 8-foot bronze sculpture, was created for Fort Worth by Texas sculptor Lawrence Ludtke, N.S.S. and R.A.S., in 2001, cast in bronze in 2009 and installed in 2012.

Status:

The JFK Tribute was dedicated in an official ribbon cutting and public ceremony on November 8, 2012. The Tribute is currently open to the public. Learn more about this project, including a guided audio tour, at www.jfktribute.com